Vise for plastic pipe

ABSTRACT

A vise for holding plastic pipe so that it may be sawed to length or otherwise worked on. The vise has a base member with a V-groove jaw therein and a movable opposed &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;V&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; jaw with a gripping handle thereon. The movable opposed &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;V&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; jaw is attached to the base member through a multiple articulated connection having two members pivoted together at one end, each member having its other end in pivoted connection to the base or the handle member.

United States Patent [191 Kentner [11] 3,815,888 June 11, 1974 VISE FOR PLASTIC PIPE [76] Inventor: Willard E. Kentner, Box 35, Eldena,

[22] Filed: May 30, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 258,058

[52] US. Cl. 269/2, 269/9 [51] Int. Cl. 1325b 3/00 [58] Field of Search 269/1, 2-, 9, 43, 45, 54, 269/91, 165, 254 R, 254 MW, 321 N; 294/119 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 893,875 7/1908 Schneider 269/321 N UX 1,144,120 6/1915 Gladwin 269/9 X 1,549,836 8/1925 Hopp 2,044,627 6/1936 Ortiz 269/54 3,043,585 7/1962 McCormick 269/254 X 3,352,589 11/1967 Kilboy 294/119 X 3,452,976 7/1969 Ross 269/91 3,561,514 2/1971 Karp 269/54 Primary Examiner-Donald G. Kelly Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hill, Gross, Simpson, Van

Santen, Steadman, Chiara & Simpson [5 7] ABSTRACT A vise for holding plastic pipe so that it may be sawed to length or otherwise worked on. The vise has a base member with a V-groove jaw therein and a movable opposed V jaw with a gripping handle thereon. The movable opposed V jaw is attached to the base member through a multiple articulated connection having two members pivoted together at one end, each member having its other end in pivoted connection to the base or the handle member.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 VISE FOR PLASTIC PIPE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to holding devices, more particularly to a vise for plastic pipe.

2. Prior Art Vise-like devices are old in the art and include devices for holding lengths of pipe to maintain the pipe stable while working thereon. Such devices normally include opposable members at least one of which is movable towards and away from the second member so that the pipe may be gripped between the opposed members.

It has further been known to use V-shaped cross section devices for at least one of the opposable members.

However, the majority of prior vises have been complex devices involving screw threads and the like for moving the opposed members. Further, they have been limited in the range of pipe sizes which may be accommodated in the vise and have generally not been satisfactory for use with plastic pipe because of their tendency to over-press the pipe between the jaws of the vise.

Plastic pipe is finding increased use in numerous areas. Such pipe, while easier to work with than other forms of piping in many respects, is best held in a hold ing device when it is worked, such as, by way of example, when it is sawed to length. Heretofore, the art has not provided a vise specifically adaptable for use with plastic pipe in a wide range of sizes. It would be an advance in the art to provide such a vise or holding device which is relatively simple and economical to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention provides a holding device or vise for plastic pipe which includes a base member having an elevated platform with a deep V-groove jaw therein. Attached to the base member by means of a first pivotal joint or hinge is an extension or leg member which terminates in a second pivotable joint with a second extension or leg member which in turn terminates in a third pivotable joint with a movable V-shaped cross section member or jaw which is in inverted relationship to the V in the base member. A handle member is attached to the V-shaped cross section member.

The attachment of the first extension member or leg to the base is in spaced relation to the V-shaped groove in the base and is spaced therefrom a distance less than the combined length of the extension or leg members. Thus, the inverted V jaw attached to the extensions is positionable above the base V jaw to enclamp a length of plastic pipe between the two jaws. The use of the triple pivotconnection allows the movable jaw to be positioned at an infinite number of points above the base-held jaw within the limits of extension of the extensions or legs while at the same time assuring that the movable jaw is always positionable in direct opposition to the base jaw with the legs of the movable jaw being substantially at right angles to the legs of the base jaw.

In a preferred embodiment, the base also carries a second smaller Vshaped groove or jaw thereon spaced from the first jaw, the second jaw being for use with smaller diameter plastic pipe. Due to the triple pivot connection, the movable jaw is positionable at an infinite number of points above the smaller or second base-carried jaw, as well as the larger or first basecarried jaw.

In a further embodiment, the handle attached to the movable jaw provides a saw guide for guiding a saw used in cutting the pipe held between the V-shaped members. In the illustrated and described embodiment, the saw guide comprises an elongated large-diameter tubular handle which extends beyond the V-shaped members and beyond the sides of the base. Thus, by maintaining the side of the saw blade against the handle, the position of the cut is predetermined and by continuing to maintain the side of the saw blade against the handle while cutting, a right angle cut to the axis of the pipe is assured.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a holding member or vise for plastic pipe.

It is another object of this invention to provide a holding member or vise for plastic pipe capable of enclamping a plurality of different-sized pipes individually.

It is another object of this invention to provide a holding device or vise for plastic pipe or the like having a movable member joined to a base member through a three-pivot connection.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a holding device for cylindrical objects including a base member having a configuration for receipt of the cylindrical object and a movable member having a configuration for positioning a portion of the member on the cylindrical member, the movable member attached to the base member through a pivotable connection which allows freedom of horizontal, vertical and angular movement.

It is yet another and more specific object of this in-v vention to provide a holding device or vise for cylindrical objects, the device having a base member with a groove therein, a movable member with a groove defining portion and an articulated connection between the movable member and the base member, the articulated connection allowing the movable member to be positioned over the groove in the base member at varying heights and angulations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the holding device of this invention illustrating by broken lines movability of the movable member with respect to the base member.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 is a side view of the holding device or vise 10 of my invention. The vise consists essentially of a base member 11 having agroove 12 forming a first jaw for receipt of a cylinder such as plastic pipe 13, a movable member 14 and a connecting member 15.

The base member 11 is preferably rectangular in shape, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and has a raised central portion or platform 16 with leg portions 17 and 18 adjacent the ends 19 and 20. The raised central portion 16 has a deep V groove 12 therein, which opens towards the top 22 of the raised portion, and which. is relatively wide, having an angularity at the junction of the legs 25 and 26 of approximately 90. The groove 12 is dimensioned to receive a cylindrical object such as a length of plastic pipe and to contact the pipe at two spaced points around its circumference as illustrated. The movable member 14 includes a V-shaped portion or movable jaw 27 having legs 28 and 29 which diverge from one another approximately at a 90 angle. The V- shaped portion 27 is inverted with respect to the V- shaped groove 12 in the base and is attached to the base through the articulating connecting member 15.

The connecting member consists of a first pivotable or hinged connection 30 connecting an extension or leg 31 to the raised portion 16 of the base. The other end 32 of the leg 31 is connected to an end 33 ofa second leg 34 through a second hinge or pivotable connection 35. The opposite end 36 of the leg 34 is connected to the movable jaw 27 through a third pivotable connection or hinge 37. The length of the legs 3134 is greater than the distance between the groove 12 and the hinge 30. In this manner, the movable jaw 27 can be positioned above the first jaw 12 at an infinite number of points between contact with the legs 28, 29 of the jaw 27 and the legs 25-26 of the jaw 12 and the full extension point of the legs 31, 32 of the connecting member 15. This is illustrated by broken lines 40 of FIG. I, which illustrate the movable portion 14 positioned at close to its maximum height above the jaw 12 wherein the solid line portion of the drawing illustrates a lower setting.

The articulated three-hinge connection allows use of the movable jaw at any height between resting on the base and full extension. Further, the use of the third hinge 37 allows the jaw 27 to be tilted with respect to the leg 34 so that it may be positioned in true inverted relationship to the groove 12 so that a pipe length 13 received between the V-shaped jaw 27 and the V- shaped groove 12 will be contacted at four circumferentially spaced points by the legs 25, 26, 28 and 29. A handle portion 45 is attached to the outside surface 46 of the V-shaped jaw 27 to allow the operator to grasp and move the movable portion of this invention.

As is best illustrated in FIG. 2, in the preferred embodiment of this invention, the holding device 10 includes a second lower groove or V-shaped jaw 50 mounted atop the raised portion 16 of the platform 11 intermediate the groove 12 and the hinge 30. The second jaw or groove 50 is illustrated as being formed by a piece of right-angled bar which is attached to the top of the raised portion 16 as by welding 51. The jaw 50 has legs 53 and 54 which are shorter than the legs of the groove 12 and of the jaw 27, thus providing for receipt of smaller-diameter pipe or cylinders 55 than could be received in the groove 12 and contacted by the V- shaped portion 27. Again, due to the triple hinge connection of the connecting member 15, the jaw 27 of the movable portion of the device is positionable above the second V-shaped cross section groove 50 at an infinite number of points within the limits of extension of the legs 31, 34, as illustrated by broken lines 56. The broken lines and solid lines of FIG. 2 illustrate more clearly the articulation of the jaw 27 at the hinge 37 than was shown in FIG. 1.

As best illustrated in FIG. 3, in the preferred embodiment the base member 11 and the pivot connection or hinges 30, 35 and 37 as well as the legs 31 and 34 have a full width which is less than the width of the handle member 45 by a slight amount, whereby the handle member 45 projects beyond the sides and 61 of the remaining portion of the assembly. The handle member preferably consists of a large diameter tube or cylinder which is dimpled as at 64 to receive the V-shaped portion 27 against the underside of the handle 45. The end walls 66 and 67 of the handle then extend beyond the sides 60 and 61 of the remainder of the assembly and provide a saw-guide against which the fiat of a saw can be held for guiding a cut through a pipe or cylinder 13 received in one of the grooves 12, 50. By maintaining the flat of the saw against the end face 66 or 67, positioning of the cut is assured as well as the angle of the cut to the axis of the cylinder, preferably a right angle.

Thus, the handle serves as a saw guide and it is an object of this invention to provide a saw guide for a holding device of this nature. It will of course be understood that the extension of the handle merely presents a preferred embodiment of a saw guide and that other means for providing a saw guide may be employed such as, by way of example, spaced-apart plates for receipt of a saw therebetween to guide the saw, or a slot extending through the grooved portions and the handle interme diate the sides of the device which may thereafter be left unslotted in the non-raised portions of the base.

It will therefore be seen from the above that my invention provides a novel holding device or vise particularly adaptable for working on plastic pipe which device grips a pipe in opposed V-shaped jaws or grooves by hand-pressure. The upper jaw or groove is attached to a base common with the lower jaw through a triple articulated connection which provides flexibility of movement and positioning to the upper jaw or groove. I have further illustrated a double lower jaw holding device having lower grooves of differing dimensions for receipt of differing sized pipe. As a further modification, I have also illustrated a saw guide incorporated in the handle of the holding device for assuring accurate sawing of a pipe or cylinder held by the device.

Although the teachings of my invention have herein been discussed with reference to specific theories and embodiments and although illustrative means for ac complishing explained results have been described, it is to be understood that these are by way of illustration only and that others' may wish to utilize my invention in different designs or applications.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a holding device for cylindrical objects having opposed relatively movable jaws with a connection means between portions associated with the jaws, the improvement of said connection means including a triple pivot having three articulatable pivots interposed in series between ends of the connection means which are fixedly attached respectively one end to one movable jaw and another end to another jaw.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the triple pivot is a three-hinge pivot.

3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the triple pivot connection includes a first pivot connecting a portion of the device which is in fixed relation to a first jaw to a first extension leg, a second pivot connecting the said first extension leg to a' second extension leg and a third pivot connecting the second extension leg to a portion of the device including a second jaw.

4. A holding device for cylindrical objects comprising a base member, an upwardly opening gripping jaw fixedly attached to said base member opening towards a top surface of said base member, a movable jaw, said movable jaw having a groove opening towards the base, a connecting member, said connecting member connecting said movable jaw to said movable jaw to said base member, and said connecting member including a triple pivot whereby having three articulatable pivots interposed in series between ends of the connecting member, one end of the connecting member connected to the movable jaw and another end of the connecting member connected to the base member.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the base associated jaw is formed as a groove in the base.

6. The improvement of claim 4 wherein the triple pivot connection includes a first pivot connecting an extension to the base, a second pivot connecting the extension to a second extension, and a third pivot connecting the second extension to the movable jaw.

7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein the said base member has a second jaw fixedly positioned thereon opening away from said base member to the top thereof, said second jaw spaced from said first jaw.

8. The device of claim 1 including a saw guide operatively associated with said holding device for guiding a saw in cutting a workpiece enclamped between said jaws. 

1. In a holding device for cylindrical objects having opposed relatively movable jaws with a connection means between portions associated with the jaws, the improvement of said connection means including a triple pivot having three articulatable pivots interposed in series between ends of the connection means which are fixedly attached respectively one end to one movable jaw and another end to another jaw.
 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the triple pivot is a three-hinge pivot.
 3. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the triple pivot connection includes a first pivot connecting a portion of the device which is in fixed relation to a first jaw to a first extension leg, a second pivot connecting the said first extension leg to a second extension leg and a third pivot connecting the second extension leg to a portion of the device including a second jaw.
 4. A holding device for cylindrical objects comprising a base member, an upwardly opening gripping jaw fixedly attached to said base member opening towards a top surface of said base member, a movable jaw, said movable jaw having a groove opening towards the base, a connecting member, said connecting member connecting said movable jaw to said movable jaw to said base member, and said connecting member including a triple pivot whereby having three articulatable pivots interposed in series between ends of the connecting member, one end of the connecting member connected to the movable jaw and another end of the connecting member connected to the base member.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein the base associated jaw is formed as a groove in the base.
 6. The improvement of claim 4 wherein the triple pivot connection includes a first pivot connecting an extension to the base, a second pivot connecting the extension to a second extension, and a third pivot connecting the second extension to the movable jaw.
 7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein the said base member has a second jaw fixedly positioned thereon opening away from said base member to the top thereof, said second jaw spaced from said first jaw.
 8. The device of claim 1 including a saw guide operatively associated with said holding device for guiding a saw in cutting a workpiece enclamped between said jaws. 